Scoopable dough and products resulting therefrom

ABSTRACT

A scoopable dough can be used to prepare cut biscuits, drop biscuits, dumplings, flat bread, crackers, pizza dough, doughnuts, fritters, hushpuppies, muffins, pastry crusts, coffee cake, quick bread, scones, cobbler-type crust, and the like. A scoopable dough can be formed into various shapes and thereafter stored at temperatures suitable for freezing and at temperatures suitable for refrigeration that includes flour, water, a protein supplement, a shortening, a humectant, and a leavening system encapsulated, and the scoopable dough has desirable viscoelastic properties. The various shapes of the scoopable dough can be in the form of individual single-serve units of dough that can be placed in an oven and baked without an intermediate thawing or proofing step.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 10/224,545 filed on Aug. 19, 2002, now pending, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] U.S. application Ser. No. 10/224,545 filed on Aug. 19, 2002, nowpending, is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,458 B2 issued on Aug.20, 2002 entitled “SCOOPABLE DOUGH AND PRODUCTS RESULTING THEREFROM”,which is hereby incorporated by reference is a continuation of U.S. Ser.No. 09/523,133 now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention is generally directed to dough food products and totheir methods of preparation. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to farinaceous doughs that can be stored at temperaturessuitable for freezing and at temperatures suitable for refrigeration.More specifically, the invention is a scoopable dough that can be formedinto various shapes and thereafter stored at temperatures suitable forfreezing and at temperatures suitable for-refrigeration that includesflour, water, a protein supplement, a shortening, a humectant, and aleavening system encapsulated, and the scoopable dough has desirableviscoelastic properties. Additionally, the invention is a method of useof the scoopable dough wherein a frozen dough shape is produced that canbe placed in an oven and baked without an intermediate thawing orproofing step.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Ready-made doughs that are storage stable at freezing orrefrigeration temperatures are desirable for commercial and home baking.They minimize a cook's preparation time and are easy to use. Examples ofrefrigerated doughs are known and include, for example, U.S. Pat. No.4,526,801; U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,563; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,315. Theserefrigerated doughs are typically packaged and stored in a can. They arealso typically limited to storage at refrigeration temperatures andcannot alternatively be stored at freezing temperatures.

[0005] Yet it can be desirable to have a dough that can be stored atboth refrigeration and frozen temperatures. For example, a dough can beshipped frozen and stored frozen prior to use. Alternatively, a doughcan be shipped frozen, stored frozen, and then refrigerated prior touse. Furthermore, a dough can be shipped refrigerated, stored frozen,and then placed in an oven and baked with out an intermediate thawing orproofing step.

[0006] To prepare a dough that can be refrigerated and frozen, thegeneral problems that arise from refrigeration and freezing should beaddressed. For example, doughs that are refrigerated or frozen canprepare products that are doughy or gummy in texture or that result inless than desirable leavening due to premature reaction of the leaveningsystem. Refrigerated and frozen doughs can also have the problems ofdough graying and susceptibility to microbial contamination.

[0007] Thus, it is desirable to develop a dough that can be stored atfreezing and refrigeration temperatures and that can be placed in anoven directly from the freezer and the refrigerator and still providedesirable baked products under either circumstance. The dough can bepackaged in consumer and foodservice quantities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention resides in part in methods of using doughsin frozen condition that would be or are scoopable at refrigeratortemperatures by baking frozen shaped and formed dough pieces preparedtherefrom to form finished baked goods without intervening dough thawingor proofing steps.

[0009] A dough of the invention is shelf stable without storage under avacuum at freezing temperatures and refrigeration temperatures. Thedough is shelf stable at freezing temperatures for between about twomonths and about nine months. Moreover, after thawing, the dough isshelf stable at refrigeration temperatures for between about one day andabout seven days.

[0010] A scoopable dough of the invention has desirable viscoelasticproperties. These properties can include dough consistency and torqueprofile. In one embodiment, the dough has a dough consistency of betweenabout 300 B.U. (Brabender Units) and about 1,200 B.U. More preferably, ascoopable dough that is preformed into individual single-serve unitsprior to freezing has a dough consistency of 700 B.U. to about 1000 B.U.In another embodiment, the dough has a torque profile of about 0.3 N·cmto greater than about 3 N·cm.

[0011] A scoopable dough of the invention includes flour, a proteinsupplement, a shortening, a humectant, a leavening system, and water.The flour and water can be in a flour-to-water ratio of between about2:1 and about 1:1.

[0012] A scoopable dough of the invention can include ingredientssuitable for controlling darkening of the dough (i.e., dough graying)such as, for example, flour having low polyphenol oxidase activity,flour having a flour enrichment with all reduced iron, a binder of metalions, an organic acid, and the like.

[0013] A scoopable dough of the invention can control free water by theuse of a humectant, absent the use of a hemicellulose compound such as axylan compound.

[0014] A scoopable dough of the invention can be packaged withoutdeoxygenating and hermetically sealing the package.

[0015] A scoopable dough of the invention can be transferred to adepositor, extruded through a die, wire cut into single-serve units ontoa sheet of plastic film, conveyed to a freezer, frozen, packaged forfoodservice quantities, shipped to a foodservice customer. Thereafter,the scoopable dough can be placed directly from the freezer into theoven and baked without an intermediate thawing or proofing step.Alternatively, the scoopable dough can thereafter be refrigerated forabout one day to about seven days and then baked.

[0016] A baked product can be prepared from a scoopable dough of theinvention.

[0017] A baked product can be prepared from a frozen dough of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The invention is directed to a method of use of a dough suitablefor preparing a baked product having a crisp outer crust and a tenderinterior. A dough of the invention at refrigeration temperatures istypically scoopable. The term “scoopable” refers to a dough having aconsistency between that of a cookie dough and a batter. That is, ascoopable dough of the invention is firm enough to retain its shape uponbaking but thin enough to relax somewhat during baking to create, forexample, a rough-textured appearance. A scoopable dough of the inventiontypically has desirable viscoelastic properties, for example, desirabledough consistency or desirable torque profile.

[0019] More particularly, a scoopable dough of the invention typicallyhas a dough consistency from between about 300 B.U. and about 1200 B.U.(Brabender Units) within 10 minutes of mixing the dough. This propertycan be determined by making a Farinograph measurement. (See TheFarinograph Handbook, Locken et al. (ed.), American Association ofCereal Chemists, Inc. (1972) for a general discussion of Farinographs.)

[0020] Preferably the dough consistency ranges from between about 400B.U. and about 1,000 B.U. and more preferably between about 700 B.U. andabout 1000 B.U. within 10 minutes of mixing the dough.

[0021] Similarly, a scoopable dough of the invention can have a torqueprofile of about 0.3 N·cm to greater than about 3 N·cm, preferablybetween about 0.6 N·cm and about 2.8 N·cm, and more preferably betweenabout 0.9 N·cm and about 2.5 N·cm within 10 minutes of mixing the dough.This property can be determined by making a Haake measurement using atransducer head of 3 N·cm. A 3 N·cm transducer head will not allow atorque profile greater than 3 N·cm to be identified.

[0022] A scoopable dough of the invention is shelf stable withoutstorage under a vacuum. “Without storage under a vacuum” refers topackaging or storing the scoopable dough of the invention in a containerwithout deoxygenating and/or hermetically sealing the container. “Shelfstable” refers to the scoopable dough of the invention being suitablefor storage at refrigeration and freezing temperatures without the doughbreaking down by, for example, microbial contamination, failure of theleavening system, etc. and becoming unsuitable for consumption.

[0023] A scoopable dough of the invention can be stored frozen for up toabout two months, preferably up to about four months, and morepreferably up to about nine months. Temperatures suitable for freezing ascoopable dough of the invention include, for example, less than about30° F. (−1° C.), preferably less than about 10° F. (−12° C.), and morepreferably less than about −10° F. (−23° C.). After being frozen, ascoopable dough of the invention can be thawed at temperatures ofbetween about 30° F. (−1° C.) and about ambient temperature, preferablybetween about 35° F. (1° C.) and about 45° F. (7° C.) and morepreferably between about 38° F. (3° C.) and about 42° F. (5° C.).

[0024] After thawing, a scoopable dough of the invention can berefrigerated at temperatures of between about 30° F. (−1° C.) and aboutambient temperature, preferably between about 35° F. (1° C.) and about45° F. (7° C.) and more preferably between about 38° F. (3° C.) andabout 42° F. (5° C.) until the dough begins to break down such as by,for example, the leavening system failing. The time period forrefrigeration after thawing can be up to about seven days and preferablyfor between about one day and about four days. Preferably a scoopabledough of the invention can be refrigerated for up to about two days,more preferably up to about four days, and even more preferably up toabout seven days.

[0025] A scoopable dough of the invention can be placed directly fromthe freezer into an oven or alternatively thawed to refrigerationtemperatures and thereafter baked to prepare a variety of baked goods. Ascoopable dough of the invention is typically useful for preparing achemically-leavened wheat dough products. Baked products that can beprepared by a scoopable dough of the invention include, for example, cutbiscuits, drop biscuits, dumplings, flat bread, crackers, pizza dough,doughnuts, fritters, hushpuppies, muffins, pastry crusts, coffee cake,quick bread, scones, cobbler-type crust, and the like. Preferably abaked product prepared by a scoopable dough of the invention includesdrop biscuits, dumplings, and scones.

[0026] A scoopable dough of the invention includes flour, water, aprotein supplement, a shortening, a humectant, and a leavening system.

[0027] The dough of the invention includes a grain constituent thatcontributes to the structure of the dough. Flour is a grain constituentthat is frequently used in baked goods. Suitable flours include hardwheat flour, soft wheat flour, corn flour, high amylose flour, lowamylose flour, and the like. Different grain constituents lend differenttexture, taste, and appearance to a baked good. For example, a bakedproduct made from a dough with hard wheat flour will have a coarsertexture than a baked product made from a dough with soft wheat flourbecause hard wheat flour contains higher amounts of gluten.

[0028] A scoopable dough of the invention preferably includes soft wheatflour with gluten supplementation or a combination of hard wheat flourand soft wheat flour. Preferably the ratio of soft wheat flour to hardwheat flour is between about 2.2:1 and about 4:1, more preferablybetween about 2.4:1 and about 3.8:1, and even more preferably betweenabout 3:1 and about 3.6:1.

[0029] A scoopable dough of the invention can also include a flour withlow polyphenol oxidase activity. This type of flour can be effectiveagainst a scoopable dough of the invention losing its natural color andbeginning to darken.

[0030] A scoopable dough of the invention can include flour enrichmentshaving iron that is substantially all reduced. This type of flourenrichment can be effective against a scoopable dough of the inventionlosing its natural color and beginning to darken.

[0031] A dough of the invention typically includes an amount of floureffective to provide structure to the scoopable dough. That is, ascoopable dough of the invention includes flour in an amount effectiveto provide desirable dough consistency. The amount of flour should notbe so high that the dough becomes nonscoopable and should not be so lowthat the dough is too thin to retain its shape. A dough of the inventioncan include flour in an amount of between about 30 weight percent andabout 51 weight percent, preferably between about 22 weight percent andabout 48 weight percent, and more preferably between about 36 weightpercent and about 45 weight percent.

[0032] These flour amounts are based on flour having about 9 weightpercent to about 11 weight percent moisture, about 8 weight percent toabout 15 weight percent wheat protein, and about 0.4 to about 0.6 weightpercent ash. One skilled in the art having read the specification wouldunderstand that flour amounts suitable for use with a scoopable dough ofthe invention can vary depending on the characteristics of flour used.

[0033] “Weight percent” as used herein is based on the total weight ofthe composition unless indicated to the contrary.

[0034] A scoopable dough of the invention also includes water. Theamount of water should be effective to provide a desirable doughconsistency suitable for a scoopable dough. The amount of water shouldnot be so high that the scoopable dough cannot retain its shape andshould not be so low that the dough is nonscoopable. Typically a doughof the invention includes flour and water in a flour-to-water ratio in arange of between about 2:1 and about 1:1, preferably between about 1.9:1and about 1.2:1, and more preferably between about 1.8:1 and about1.4:1.

[0035] A scoopable dough of the invention includes a protein supplementto provide structure to the dough. A protein supplement can contributeto a baked product prepared from a dough of the invention having acrisp, brown outer surface as well as a tender interior that is moistbut not doughy. Protein supplements that provide these characteristicscan generally be used. A suitable protein supplement can includeproteins resulting from amino acids such as, for example, glycine,alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, phentolamine, turicine, typtophan,proline, methionine, cystine, serine, threonine, asparagines, glutamine,histidine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, and arginine. Othersuitable protein supplements include, for example, α-keratin, collagen,fibroin, sclerolin, myosin, actin, carboxypeptidase, typsin, ovalbumin,casein, and the like.

[0036] A scoopable dough of the invention preferably includes, forexample, a dairy protein, an egg protein, or a wheat protein. Examplesof suitable dairy proteins include whey, soy protein, caseinate,buttermilk, buttermilk solids, and nonfat dry milk. Examples of suitableegg proteins include albumin. Examples of suitable wheat proteinsinclude those derived from flour or gluten. A scoopable dough of theinvention preferably includes caseinate, albumin, whey proteinconcentrate, nonfat dry milk, buttermilk, or a combination thereof. Inone embodiment, the scoopable dough of the invention includes a proteinsupplement having a combination of albumin and caseinate. In anotherembodiment, the scoopable dough of the invention includes a proteinsupplement having a combination of wheat protein and caseinate.

[0037] The scoopable dough of the invention includes a proteinsupplement in an amount effective to provide a baked product having acrisp exterior and a moist but nondoughy interior. The amount of proteinsupplement should not exceed an amount that would provide a tough,crumbly baked product. Yet the amount of protein supplement should notbe so low that a scoopable dough provides a baked product having agummy, doughy texture. A scoopable dough of the invention typicallyincludes a protein supplement in a range of between about 0.5 weightpercent and about 4 weight percent, preferably between about 0.75 weightpercent and about 3.5 weight percent, and more preferably between about1.0 weight percent and about 3 weight percent.

[0038] In one embodiment, a scoopable dough of the invention includes aprotein supplement having a combination of albumin and caseinate.Albumin can be present in an amount of between about 0.3 weight percentand about 1 weight percent, preferably between about 0.4 weight percentand about 0.9 weight percent, and more preferably between about 0.5weight percent and about 0.8 weight percent. And caseinate can bepresent in an amount of between about 0.3 weight percent and 1 weightpercent, preferably between about 0.4 weight percent and 0.9 weightpercent, and more preferably between about 0.5 weight percent and about0.8 weight percent.

[0039] A scoopable dough of the invention also includes a shortening.Shortening contributes to a baked product having desirabe palatability,physical texture, physical form, and overall aesthetic appeal. Theshortening generally provides a baked product with a tender, soft,fluffy mouthfeel; a light, flaky texture; and crisp outer crust with aglossy appearance. Shortening can also contribute to the volume andgrain of a baked product.

[0040] Shortening can be natural, for example, animal or vegetableshortening, or synthetic. Shortening generally includes fats and fattyoils, which are made of predominantly triesters of glycerol with fattyacids, commonly called triglycerides. The number of triglycerides in agiven natural fat is a function of the number of fatty acids present andspecificity of the enzyme systems involved in that particularfat-synthesis reaction.

[0041] Fats and fatty oils useful in producing shortening consistentwith the invention include cottonseed oil, ground nut oil, soybean oil,sunflower oil, canola (“rape seed”) oil, sesame oil, olive oil, cornoil, safflower oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, andcombinations thereof. One example of a shortening useful in a scoopabledough of the invention includes a shortening having soybean oil andcottonseed oil. This shortening can include soybean oil in an amount ofbetween about 60 weight percent and about 95 weight percent, preferablybetween about 75 weight percent and about 85 weight percent, of totalshortening and cottonseed oil in an amount of between about 5 weightpercent and about 30 weight percent, preferably between about 15 weightpercent and about 25 weight percent, of total shortening.

[0042] The scoopable dough of the invention can include any number ofshortening compositions having a variety of physical states and/orphysical forms. Suitable physical states of shortening include liquid,semisolid, and solid. Suitable physical forms of shortening includeplasticized shortening, chip shortening, and noodle shortening.

[0043] A chip shortening can include chips in a concentration of about30 weight percent to about 100 weight percent of total shortening.Preferably chip shortening includes chips in a concentration of about 66weight percent to about 84 weight percent of total shortening. A chipcan have an area of between about 40 mm² and about 370 mm², preferablybetween about 75 mm² and about 300 mm², and more preferably betweenabout 75 mm² and about 180 mm². A chip can have a thickness of betweenabout 0.08 cm and about 0.2 cm, preferably between about 0.125 cm andabout 0.175 cm, and more preferably between about 0.14 cm and about 0.16cm.

[0044] Although less preferred, a scoopable dough of the invention caninclude a noodle shortening. A noodle shortening can include a ribbonand/or a cylindrical noodle in a concentration of between about 10weight percent and about 100 weight percent of total shortening,preferably between about 10 weight percent and about 30 weight percentof total shortening. A noodle can have a diameter of between about ⅛ andabout ⅜ inch, preferably about ¼ inch. A noodle can have a length ofabout 1 inch or less, preferably about ¼ inch to about ½+L inch.

[0045] A noodle can be used to moderate the attributes provided by achip to the baked product. If the noodles are cooled and handledproperly they may even be used to emulate the properties provided bychip shortening. For example, hardened plastic shortening may beextruded through a pipe using a Graco pump having a die that formsshortening noodles of a specific diameter. A hardened shortening is morelikely provided when the process undergoes less shear.

[0046] A shortening suitable for use with a scoopable dough of theinvention generally has a high solid-to-fat index (SFI). This indexmeasures the ratio of solid to fat over a range of temperatures. Thegreater this ratio, the greater the amount of solid present, which canprovide flaky texture and a crisp outer crust. The shortening generallyhas a melting point of no greater than about 104° F. and preferably nogreater than 102° F. The SFI profile typically provides a slope of about−0.9 or greater, preferably −0.95 or greater, and more preferably about−0.975 or greater.

[0047] The amount of shortening in a scoopable dough of the invention iseffective to provide a baked product having a tender, soft, fluffymouthfeel; a light, flaky texture; and a crisp outer crust. The amountof shortening should not exceed an amount that would provide a bakedproduct having a gummy texture. Yet the amount of shortening should notbe so low that a scoopable dough of the invention provides a bakedproduct having a tough, dry, crumbly texture. The amount of shorteningtypically is in a range of between about 5 weight percent and about 28weight percent, preferably between about 6 weight percent and about 20weight percent, and more preferably between about 7.5 weight percent andabout 15 weight percent.

[0048] A scoopable dough of the invention further includes a humectant.A humectant suitable for use in a scoopable dough of the inventioncontributes to obtaining a desirable water activity (Aw). A desirablewater activity refers to an amount of water activity that producesdesirable antimicrobial stability, which allows for a suitable shelflife for a scoopable dough of the invention. Although this invention isnot limited to any particular theory, it is believed that the humectantfacilitates storage stability without requiring a scoopable dough of theinvention to be packaged by deoxygenating and/or hermetically sealingthe package. (i.e., packaging under a vacuum).

[0049] A suitable shelf life includes storage at temperatures of lessthan about 30° F. (−1° C.), preferably less than about 10° F. (−12° C.),and more preferably less than about −10° F. (−23° C.) for a time periodof about two months, preferably about four months, and more preferablyabout nine months. After thawing, a suitable shelf life also includesstorage at temperatures of between about 30° F. (−1° C.) and about 50°F. (10° C.), preferably between about 35° F. (1° C.) and about 45° F.(7° C.), and more preferably between about 38° F. (3° C.) and about 42°F. (5° C.) for a time period of between about one and about seven days,preferably about two days, more preferably about three days, and evenmore preferably about four days.

[0050] A humectant suitable for use in a scoopable dough of theinvention includes sugar and/or nonsugar ingredients that can bindmoisture in a scoopable dough of the invention and a baked product madetherefrom. Suitable humectant sugars include, for example, fructose,dextrose, corn syrup, corn-syrup solids, invert syrup, high fructosecorn syrup, honey, molasses, maltose, sorbose, mannose, lactose,galactose, sucrose, and the like.

[0051] Suitable nonsugar humectants include, for example, glycerin,glycerol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, propylene glycol,hydrogenated glucose sugar, sugar ester, dextrin, and combinationsthereof. In one embodiment, a scoopable dough of the invention includesa humectant having a combination of glycerin, propylene glycol,corn-syrup solids, and sucrose.

[0052] The amount of humectant in a scoopable dough of the invention iseffective to provide a Aw of less than about 0.97, preferably less thanabout 0.95, and more preferably less than about 0.90. The amount ofhumectant should not exceed an amount that would render a dough of theinvention nonscoopable. Yet the amount of humectant should not be so lowthat a scoopable dough of the invention loses antimicrobial stability.The amount of the humectant can be in a range of between about 2 weightpercent and about 15 weight percent, preferably between about 4 weightpercent and 12 weight percent, and more preferably between about 6weight percent and about 10 weight percent.

[0053] In one embodiment, a scoopable dough of the invention includes ahumectant having a combination of glycerin, propylene glycol, corn syrupsolids, and sucrose. Glycerin can be present in an amount of betweenabout 0.4 weight percent and about 1.0 weight percent, preferablybetween about 0.5 weight percent and about 0.8 weight percent, and morepreferably between about 0.6 weight percent and about 0.7 weightpercent. Propylene glycol can be present in an amount of between about0.3 weight percent and about 0.9 weight percent, preferably betweenabout 0.45 weight percent and about 0.55 weight percent. Corn syrupsolids can be present in an amount of between about 2 weight percent andabout 5 weight percent, preferably between about 3 weight percent andabout 4 weight percent, and more preferably between about 3.25 weightpercent and about 3.75 weight percent. And sucrose can be present in anamount of between about 0.5 weight percent and about 12 weight percent,preferably between about 1 weight percent and about 11 weight percent,and more preferably between about 2 weight percent and about 10 weightpercent.

[0054] A scoopable dough of the invention also includes a leaveningsystem to increase the volume and alter the texture of a baked productprepared by a scoopable dough of the invention. A leavening systemtypically includes a leavening agent and a complementary leaveningagent. A leavening system typically includes an acidic leavening agentand a basic leavening agent. The reaction between the acidic and basicleavening agents triggers a release of carbon dioxide upon contact withmoisture. The carbon dioxide gas aerates a dough during mixing andbaking to provide a light, porous cell structure, fine grain, and atexture with desirable appearance and palatability.

[0055] Basic leavening agents suitable for use in a scoopable dough ofthe invention include, for example, sodium bicarbonate, and the like.Typically sodium bicarbonate is the selected basic leavening agentbecause it is stable and relatively inexpensive to produce.

[0056] Acidic leavening agents suitable for use in a scoopable dough ofthe invention include, for example, sodium or calcium salts or ortho,pyro, and complex phosphoric acids in which at least two active hydrogenions are attached to the molecule. Baking acids include monocalciumphosphate monohydrate (MCP), monocalcium phosphate anhydrous (AMCP),sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), sodium aluminum phosphate (SALP),dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DPD), dicalcium phosphate (DCP), sodiumaluminum sulfate (SAS), glucono-deltalactone (GDL), potassium hydrogentartrate (cream of tartar), and the like. In one embodiment, the acidicleavening agent includes sodium aluminum phosphate.

[0057] At least a portion of the leavening system is encapsulated, i.e.,either the leavening base or the leavening acid. By encapsulating atleast a portion of the leavening system, the chemical reaction betweenthe acidic and basic leavening agents can be delayed, thereby allowingfor a shelf life at temperatures of between about 30° F. (−1° C.) andabout 50° F. (10° C.) of up to about seven days. The term “at least aportion” includes between about 10 weight percent and about 100 weightpercent, preferably between about 25 weight percent and about 75 weightpercent, and more preferably between about 40 weight percent and about60 weight percent of the leavening system. The granulation of theencapsulated leavening agent can affect the effectiveness of theleavening system.

[0058] Preferably the basic leavening agent is encapsulated. Andpreferably the entire basic leavening agent is encapsulated. In oneembodiment, the encapsulated leavening agent includes encapsulatedsodium bicarbonate. One type of encapsulated sodium bicarbonate usefulfor a scoopable dough of the invention includes BAKESHURE®180 (Balchem,State Hill, N.Y.), which has a fine granulation (particle size is 2%maximum based on #60 mesh screen). BAKESHURE®180 has 49% sodiumbicarbonate coated with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Anotherless preferred type of encapsulated soda is CAP-SHUR®BC-140-70 (Balchem,State Hill, N.Y.), which contains sodium bicarbonate coated withhydrogenated cottonseed oil.

[0059] The evolution of carbon dioxide essentially follows thestoichiometry of typical acid-base reaction. The amount of basicleavening agent present determines the amount of carbon dioxide evolved,whereas the type of acidic leavening agent affects the speed at whichthe carbon dioxide is liberated. The amount of basic leavening agentused in combination with the acidic leavening agent should be balancedsuch that a minimum of unchanged reactants remain in the finishedproduct. An excess amount of leavening base can impart a bitter flavorto the baked product while excess leavening acid can make the bakedproduct tart.

[0060] The amount of a leavening system is effective to leaven a bakedproduct prepared from a scoopable dough of the invention. The amount ofa leavening system is typically present in an amount of between about 1weight percent and about 5 weight percent, preferably between about 1.25weight percent and 3 weight percent, and more preferably between about1.5 weight percent and about 2.5 weight percent. Typically an acidicleavening agent is present in an amount of between about 0.5 weightpercent and about 2.5 weight percent, preferably between about 0.65weight percent and about 1.5 weight percent, and more preferably betweenabout 0.75 weight percent and about 1.25 weight percent. Typically abasic leavening agent is present in an amount of between about 0.5weight percent and about 2.5 weight percent, preferably between about0.65 weight percent and about 1.5 weight percent, and more preferablybetween about 0.75 weight percent and about 1.25 weight percent.

[0061] The dough of the invention can include additives, for example,texture-modifying agents, emulsifiers, hydrocolloids, dough-developingagents, nutritional supplements, flavorings, shelf-life stabilizers,organic acids, binders of metal ions, and the like. Additives can modifytexture or any number of characteristics of a scoopable dough of theinvention or a baked product resulting therefrom.

[0062] A texture-modifying agent can improve viscoelastic properties,plasticity, dough development, and the like. Examples of suitabletexture modifying agents include fats, emulsifiers, hydrocolloids, andthe like.

[0063] An emulsifier can influence the texture and homogeneity of thedough mixture, increase dough stability, and improve the eating qualityof a baked product. An emulsifier includes nonionic surfactants, anionicsurfactants, and cationic surfactants. Suitable emulsifiers include, forexample, lecithin, monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids,propylene glycol monoesters and diesters of fatty acids, glyceryl-lactoesters of fatty acids, ethoxylated monoglycerides and diglycerides, andthe like.

[0064] A hydrocolloid can increase moisture content and improveviscoelastic properties of a scoopable dough of the invention and crumbtexture of the baked product by, for example, stabilizing small aircells within the dough and binding to moisture. Hydrocolloids includexanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and the like.

[0065] A dough-developing agent can enhance the viscosity, texture, andplasticity of a scoopable dough of the invention. Any number ofdough-developing agents can be used including, for example,azodicarbonamide, diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides anddiglycerides, potassium sorbate, and the like.

[0066] A nutritional supplement such as, for example, vitamins,minerals, proteins, and the like can be added to a scoopable dough ofthe invention, examples of nutritional supplements include thiamin,riboflavin, niacin, iron, calcium, and the like.

[0067] Flavorings such as, for example, sweeteners, spices, and specificflavorings (e.g., butter flavoring) can be added to a scoopable dough ofthe invention. Sweeteners include, for example, regular and highfructose corn syrup, sucrose (cane or beet sugar), dextrose, and thelike.

[0068] Particulates such as, for example, cranberry, chocolate,strawberry, raspberry, apricot, blueberry, cheese pieces/bits can beadded to a scoopable dough of the invention.

[0069] Shelf-life stabilizers such as, for example, preservatives andmold inhibitors can be added to a scoopable dough of the invention.Suitable shelf-life stabilizers include, for example, sodium salts ofpropionic or sorbic acids, sodium diacetate, vinegar, monocalciumphosphate, lactic acid, and the like.

[0070] A scoopable dough of the invention can also include an organicacid. An organic acid can be effective against a scoopable dough of theinvention losing its natural color and beginning to darken (known asdough graying). Examples of suitable organic acids include citric acid,ascorbic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, and the like. Anorganic acid can be included in an amount effective to provide a pH in arange of between about 5 and about 8.5, preferably between about 7.25and about 8.25, and more preferably between about 7.5 and about 8. Lessorganic acid can be added when a scoopable dough of the inventionincludes flour having flour enrichments with reduced iron. This ispreferred because excess organic acid can adversely impact flavor andtexture.

[0071] A scoopable dough of the invention can also include a binder ofmetal ions. Some metal ions can help catalyze enzymatic reactions thatcan result in dough graying. Thus, a binder of metal ions can beeffective against a scoopable dough of the invention losing its naturalcolor. Examples of binders of metal ions include metal chelators andorganic acids. A metal chelator can include, for example, ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA). An organic acid can include an organic acidas described above.

[0072] Table 1 illustrates the useful, preferred, and more preferredranges of the flour, protein supplement, shortening, humectant, andleavening system included in a scoopable dough of the invention. TABLE 1Ingredients in a Scoopable Dough of the Invention WEIGHT PERCENT MOREINGREDIENT USEFUL PREFERRED PREFERRED Flour 30-51 33 to 48 36 to 45Protein Supplement 0.5 to 4   0.75 to 3.5  1 to 3 Shortening  5 to 28  6to 20 7.5 to 15  Humectant  2 to 15  4 to 12  6 to 10 Leavening system 1to 5 1.25 to 3   1.5 to 2.5 Acidic Leavening 0.5 to 2.5 0.65 to 1.5 0.75 to 1.25 Agent Basic Leavening 0.5 to 2.5 0.65 to 1.5  0.75 to 1.25Agent

[0073] A scoopable dough of the invention can be free of emulsifiers andindividually free of any of the respective additional ingredients suchas a hydrocolloid, a dough-developing agent, a nutritional supplement, ashelf-life stabilizer, an organic acid, or a binder of metal ions.

[0074] A scoopable dough of the invention can be stored in a can, abucket, a pail, a pouch, a sleeve, a cardboard box with plastic liner,and the like. Preferably the scoopable dough of the invention is storedin foodservice quantities in single-serve frozen units in a cardboardcontainer containing up to about 150 or more single-serve frozen units.

[0075] One advantage of a scoopable dough of the invention includes itsability to be re-stored at freezer and refrigeration temperatures afterthe dough container has been opened and the dough has been used toprepare a baked product but some dough still remains. The leftover doughcan be re-stored and used at a later time.

[0076] Another advantage of a scoopable dough of the invention is thatthe scoopable dough need not be packaged under a vacuum.

[0077] A scoopable dough of the invention can generally be prepared bymixing the above-described ingredients to form a dough, forming aquantity of dough into suitable shaped and sized portions such as bytransferring the dough to a depositor, extruding through a die, wirecutting into single-serve units onto a sheet of plastic film, freezingthe shaped and sized portions to form frozen pieces, and packagingquantities of the frozen pieces for foodservice or consumer productquantities, and shipping under frozen conditions. To prepare a scoopabledough of the invention, the dough is processed so that it isunderdeveloped. That is, the dough is processed or worked so that it hasa structure suitable for holding its shape but not developed enough tohave a developed bread-dough structure.

[0078] To process an underdeveloped dough, the dough is generallysubjected to low shear and low work input during the mixing of the doughand the depositing of the dough. The term “low shear” refers to keepingthe force applied to the dough in the lateral direction low enough toprocess an underdeveloped dough. And the term “low work input” refers tokeeping the level of power times time low enough to process anunderdeveloped dough. Low shear and low work input can be achieved by,for example, keeping the mixing time short enough to provide adequateingredient integration, using a wide thread auger, eliminating excessivepumping in the depositor system, and the like.

[0079] A scoopable dough of the invention can be prepared by usingone-stage mixing to combine the ingredients. One-stage mixing refers tothe sequence in which the ingredients are combined. For a scoopabledough of the invention, all dry ingredients such as, for example,shortening, etc., are blended prior to adding the liquid ingredientssuch as, for example, water, butter flavor, propylene glycol, glycerin,etc. The dry ingredients and liquid ingredients are mixed until theingredients are substantially uniformly integrated. This mixing sequenceis effective to prevent the flour from hydrating and resulting in anoverdeveloped dough.

[0080] A scoopable dough of the invention can be mixed in any mixersuitable for combining the ingredients in a manner with low shear andlow work input. An example of a suitable mixer includes a Horizontal Barmixer (champion, Joliet, Ill.). During mixing, the scoopable dough ofthe invention is desirably maintained at a temperature that reduces thelikelihood that the leavening system will react, maintains the structureof the shortening, and facilitates freezing of the dough. Typically thetemperature should be in a range of between about 45° F. (7° C.) andabout 70° F. (21° C.), preferably between about 50° F. (10° C.) andabout 65° F. (18° C.), and more preferably between about 56° F. (13° C.)and about 62° F. (16° C.).

[0081] Preferably the mixer is equipped with a refrigeration system suchas, for example, a jacketed glycol coolant, to maintain the scoopabledough of the invention within the desirable temperature range.

[0082] To maintain the desirable temperature, water added to the dryingredients should be at a temperature suitable for maintaining thedough at the desirable temperature. Preferably the water is at atemperature of between about 33° F. (1° C.) and 36° F. (2° C.). To bringthe water to a temperature suitable for maintaining the dough at thedesirable temperature, a portion of the water can be replaced by shavedor crushed ice. The amount and size of the shaved or crushed ice can bedetermined so that the ice can melt in the water and/or dough duringmixing without leaving ice in the mixed and/or deposited dough. If iceremains in the mixed and/or deposited dough, wet spots will appear inthe dough, which is undesirable. The size of the shaved or crushed icecan typically be up to about ¼ inch. The portion of water that isreplaced by shaved ice can be up to about 20 weight percent of totalwater.

[0083] The scoopable dough of the invention is mixed at a speed and timethat are suitable for maintaining low shear and low work input. Forexample, when the dry ingredients are blended in a Horizontal Bar mixer,the ingredients can be mixed at a speed in a range of between, forexample, about 32 and about 40 rpm. This blending can occur over a timeof between, for example, about 28 seconds and about 60 seconds.

[0084] When the liquid ingredients are added to the blended dryingredients in a Horizontal Bar mixer, the ingredients can be mixed, forexample, for about 1.5 minutes to about 2 minutes at a speed of, forexample, between about 32 rpm and 40 rpm. The speed can then beincreased to between, for example, about 64 rpm and about 80 rpm forabout 1.5 minutes to about 2 minutes. These times and speeds are merelyillustrative and can vary depending on the amount of scoopable doughbeing mixed.

[0085] After mixing, a scoopable dough of the invention desirably has atemperature of between about 45° F. (7° C.) and about 70° F. (21° C.),preferably between about 50° F. (10° C.) and about 65° F. (18° C.), andmore preferably between about 56° F. (13° C.) and about 62° F. (16° C.).Also after mixing, a scoopable dough of the invention typically hasdesirable viscoelastic properties, for example, desirable doughconsistency or desirable torque profile. More particularly, a scoopabledough of the invention typically has a dough consistency ranging frombetween about 300 B.U. and about 1,200 B.U., preferably between about400 B.U. and about 1,000 B.U., and more preferably between about 500B.U. and about 800 B.U. according to a Farinograph measurement. AFarinograph measurement measures a dough's resistance to mixing. To takea Farinograph measurement, a 480 gram sample of the invention can beplaced in a jacketed bowl, controlled at a temperature of 60° F. (15°C.), equipped with a sigma blade (C.W. Brabender Instruments, Inc. SouthHackensack, N.J.). The sample can then be placed in a Farinograph (C.W.Brabender Instruments, Inc. South Hackensack, N.J.) and measurements canbe taken for a time period effective for determining a peak amplitude.The Farinograph can be operated according to the manufacturer'sinstructions. A peak amplitude can be identified and recorded.

[0086] Similarly, a scoopable dough of the invention can have a torqueprofile in a range of about 0.3 N·cm and up to greater than about 3N·cm, preferably between about 0.6 N·cm and about 2.8 N·cm, and morepreferably between about 0.9 N·cm and about 2.5 N·cm according to aHaake measurement. A Haake measurement can be determined using a HaakeVT550 viscometer (Haake Co., Paramus, N.J.) with a transducer head of 3N·cm. The vicsometer can produce a torque profile by carrying out a vanetest with a four-bladed vane rotated at a constant rate over a period oftime. To carry out a test, a 400 gram sample can be placed in acontainer, and the sample and container can be equilibrated to about 60°F.+/−2° F. (15° C.+/−2° C.). The container can then be placed in aviscometer and centered underneath a 20 mm by 20 mm vane. The vane canbe lowered into the sample until it is at least halfway submerged. Theviscometer can then be zeroed, and the measurement can be initiated andrun for a period of about 300 seconds. The maximum value on atorque-time curve can be recorded.

[0087] After the scoopable dough of the invention is mixed, it can betransferred to a depositor or dough trough and thereafter can beextruded through a die. For example, a dough of the invention can beplaced into the hopper of a Vemag Extruder (Robert Reiser and company,Inc., Canton, Mass.), which extrudes the dough. An extrusion die platecan be attached to the extruder. The extrusion die plate can haveextrusion hole diameters of at least ½ inch, preferably at least 1 inch,and most preferably at least 1½ inches. A standard die can haveextrusion holes in a configuration of three sets of holes by six holesacross or a variety of other configurations. The die holes are generallycircular but can be provided in a variety of shapes includingtriangular, heart-shaped, oval, square, etc.

[0088] Thereafter the dough extruded can be cut via a wire into aindividual single-serve units and dropped onto a sheet of film on aconveyor. The individual single-serve units range in size from about 0.5ounces to about 8 ounces, preferably from about 2 ounces to about 6ounces, and most preferably from about 3.5 ounces to about 5.5 ounces.The dough on a sheet of film can then be conveyed into and through afreezer. The freezer set temperature and dwell time can be set toachieve a maximum exit temperature of about 0° F. (−17° C.) to about 15°F. (−9° C.), preferably about 10° F. (−12° C.). A scoopable dough of theinvention can be frozen at a temperature of between about −10° F. (−23°C.) and about −15° F. (−9° C.). A scoopable dough of the invention ispreferably frozen as quickly and completely as possible.

[0089] Thereafter, the dough can be packaged in foodservice quantitiesof at least 150 individual single-serve units per container. Forexample, the frozen individual single-serve units can be placed in alined cardboard container in a configuration of six layers of the unitswith thirty individual units per layer.

[0090] An individual single-serve unit of the invention can betransferred to any suitable container.

[0091] During depositing and after being deposited into a container; thecontainer need not be deoxygenated and/or hermetically sealed (i.e.,packaged under a vacuum).

[0092] The foodservice quantity of individual frozen single-serve unitsof scoopable dough can then be placed in a finish/storage freezer untiltransported to a foodservice customer. A foodservice operator can thenplace the individual single-serve units of scoopable dough on a bakingsheet in an oven without an intermediate thawing or proofing step, andbaked to obtain a desirably consumable product having a Baked SpecificVolume (BSV) of at least 2.0 cc/g.

[0093] This invention will be further characterized by the followingexample. The example is not meant to limit the scope of the invention,which has been fully set forth in the foregoing description. Variationswithin the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art.

[0094] The following example depicts a nonlimiting illustration of thevarious attributes of the invention when prepared.

[0095] To prepare a scoopable dough of the invention, one-stage mixingin a Horizontal Bar mixer equipped with a jacketed glycol coolantcombines the ingredients. For each scoopable dough formulation, all ofthe dry ingredients (flour, hydrogenated vegetable shortening,shortening chips and/or pellets, sugar, SALP, citric acid, salt,corn-syrup solids, albumin, caseinate, buttermilk solids, dextrose,encapsulated soda, cheese powder, and cheese pieces) were blended at aspeed of between about 32 rpm and about 40 rpm for about 30 seconds.

[0096] The liquid ingredients (water, butter flavor, propylene glycol,glycerin, and yellow no. 5) were then added. The added water, whichcontained shaved ice in an amount of about 10 weight percent of totalwater, was at a temperature of between about 33° F. (1° C.) and about36° F. (2° C.). The liquid and dry ingredients were then mixed fromabout 1.5 to about 2 minutes at a speed of between about 32 rpm and 40rpm. The speed was then increased to between about 64 rpm and about 80rpm for about 1.5 minutes.

[0097] After mixing, the scoopable dough of the invention was at atemperature of between about 56° F. (13° C.) and about 62° F. (16° C.).

[0098] The scoopable dough of the invention was transferred to thehopper of a Vemag extruder, which vertically extruded the dough througha die into 4.5 ounce individual single-serve units onto a film sheet ona conveyor.

[0099] The scoopable dough of the invention was then frozen at atemperature of between about −10° F. (−23° C.) and about −15° F. (−26°C.) and the final temperature of the scoopable dough was about 10° F.(−12° C.).

[0100] The 4.5 ounce individual single-serve units of dough were thenpackaged in foodservice quantities of at least 150 individualsingle-serve units per container and shipped to a foodservice customer.

[0101] Thereafter the foodservice customer placed the single-serve unitson a baking sheet and placed it in an oven without an intermediateproofing or thawing step.

[0102] The ingredients of four illustrative types of drop biscuits areshown in Table 2. TABLE 2 Examples of Drop Biscuits Prepared From AScoopable Dough of the Invention Weight Percent General IngredientsBiscuit Southern Style Cheese Sweet Hard Wheat 9.40 9.44 8.11 10.5 FlourSoft Wheat 33.77 33.73 29.22 33.26 Flour Hydrogenated 2.43 2.43 2.121.65 Vegetable Shortening Shortening 9.7 12.12 10.58 6 Chips Shortening2.42 — — — Pellets Sugar 2.0 2.00 2.00 10.00 SALP 1.08 1.08 1.08 1.08Citric Acid 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 Salt 1.01 1.01 1.51 1.01 Corn-Syrup 3.623.62 3.62 3.62 Solids Albumin 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.60 Caseinate 0.71 0.710.71 0.71 Buttermilk 2.03 2.03 2.03 2.03 Solids Dextrose 0.13 0.13 0.130.13 Encapsulated 2.16 2.16 2.16 2.16 Soda (50%) Glycerin 0.64 0.64 0.640.64 Propylene 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.49 Glycol Butter Flavor 0.03 0.03 0.030.03 Water 27.7 27.7 27.7 27.7 Cheese Powder 1.17 Cheese Pieces 9.72Yellow No. 5 0.02 Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

[0103] The ingredients for the formulations were provided as follows:Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening (Vegetable Shortening; AC Humko Corp.;Memphis, Tenn.); Shortening Chips (Hydrogenated Shortening Chips; GlodenFoods; Louisville, Ky.); Shortening Pellets (Mini Chuck ShorteningF327X; Bunge Foods, Bradely, Ill.); Sugar (Crystal Sugar StandardGranulation; United Sugars Corp.; Minneapolis, Minn.); SALP (Levn-Lite;Solutia INC. (Monsanto); St. Louis, Mo.); Citric Acid (#114-830 CitricAcid; ADM; North Kansas City, Mo.); Salt (Culinox 999, Food Grade Salt;Morton International; Chicago, Ill.); CSS (Maltrin M200 Corn SyrupSolids; Grain Processing Corp.; Muscatin, Iowa); Albumin (Dried EggWhites; Primera Foods; Cameron, Wis.): Caseinate (Ecco 2300 SodiumCaseinate; Erie Foods International; Erie, Ill.); Buttermilk (Dry SweetCream Buttermilk; Dairy America, Inc.; Dublin, Calif.); Dextrose(CLINTROSE Dextrose Monohydrate; ADM Corn Sweeteners, Decatur, Ill.);Encapsulated Soda 50% (Bakeshure.RTM 180; Balchem Corp.; Slate Hill,N.Y.); Glycerin (Superol Glycerin (99.7%); Procter and Gamble Company;Cincinnati, Ohio); Propylene glycol (Propylene glycol, U.S.P.; Harrisand Ford; Indianapolis, Ind.); Butter Flavor (Natural Butter WONF#12331; SKW Biosystems Inc.; Waukesha, Wis.); Yellow 5/Red 40 #993809499;CHR Hansen-ITC; Cincinnati, Ohio); Hard Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour; ADM;North Kansas City, Mo.); Soft Wheat Flour (American Beauty High Ratiocake Flour; ConAgra; Omaha, Nebr.); Cheese-Flavored Pieces(Cheese-Flavored Pieces; Shade Foods; New Century, Kans.); and N&ACheese Flavor (N&A Cheese Flavor; Givuadan Roure; Cincinnati, Ohio).

[0104] While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. A method of use for a dough, comprising, a. preparing a scoopabledough comprising: (i) flour, the flour being present in an amounteffective for providing structure to the dough; (ii) a proteinsupplement, the protein supplement being present in an amount effectivefor providing structure to the dough; (iii) a shortening, the shorteningbody being present in an amount effective for providing desirablephysical texture to the dough; (iv) a humectant, the humectant beingpresent in an amount effective for providing an A_(w) of less than about0.97; (v) a leavening system comprising a leavening agent and acomplementary leavening agent, the leavening system having between about10 weight percent and about 100 weight percent of the leavening agent,the complementary leavening agent, or a mixture thereof encapsulated,and the leavening system being present in an amount effective forleavening a baked product prepared from the dough; and (vi) water, thewater being present in an amount effective for providing aflour-to-water ratio in a range of between about 2:1 and about 1:1; b.forming the dough into shaped and sized portions; c. freezing the shapedand sized portions to form frozen shaped dough pieces; d. placing atleast one frozen dough piece in an oven without an intermediate thawingor proofing step; and, e. baking the frozen dough pieces to form aleavened baked good having a BSV of at least about 2.0 cc/g.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the dough is shelf stable after storagewithout storage under a vacuum for between about 2 months and about 9months at freezing temperatures and shelf stable after thawing withoutstorage under a vacuum for between about 1 day and about 7 days atrefrigeration temperatures.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the doughexhibits a dough consistency of between about 300 Brabender Units. andabout 1,200 Brabender Units within 10 minutes of forming the dough. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein the dough exhibits a dough consistency ofbetween about 600 Brabender Units and 1,200 Brabender Units within 10minutes of forming the dough.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thedough exhibits a torque profile of about 0.3 N·cm to greater than about3 N·cm within 10 minutes of mixing the dough.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the dough is storage stable at ambient pressure.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein the dough comprises a blend of soft wheat flour andhard wheat flour in a ratio of soft wheat flour to hard wheat flour ofbetween about 2.2:1 and about 4:1.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein thedough comprises a flour with low polyphenol oxidase activity.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the dough comprises a flour enrichment havingreduced iron.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dough comprises aflour in an amount of between about 30 weight percent and about 51weight percent.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dough comprises aprotein supplement in an amount between about 0.5 weight percent andabout 4 weight percent.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the proteinsupplement comprises albumin, caseinate, wheat protein, or mixturesthereof.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the dough comprises ashortening in an amount of between about 5 weight percent and about 28weight percent.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the dough comprises ahumectant in an amount effective for providing an Aw of less than about0.95.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the humectant comprisesglycerin, propylene glycol, corn-syrup solids, sucrose, or mixturesthereof.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the dough comprises aleavening system comprising baking soda, a complementary leaveningagent, and encapsulated baking soda.
 17. The method of claim 1, whereinthe dough comprises a leavening system comprising a complementaryleavening agent and encapsulated baking soda.
 18. The method of claim 1,wherein 100 weight percent of the leavening system is encapsulated. 19.The method of claim 1, further comprising citric acid in an amounteffective to provide the scoopable dough with a pH between about 7.25and about 8.25.
 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the dough furthercomprises a particulates.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein theparticulates comprises cranberry, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry,apricot, blueberry, cheese bits, or mixtures thereof.
 22. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the die hole of step B is the shape of a circle with adiameter of between about 1 inch and about 6 inches.
 23. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the die hole of step B is in the shape of a triangle,square, star, rectangle, and oval.
 24. The method of claim 1, whereinthe individual single-serve size shapes are packaged in quantities of atleast 150 individual single-serve units per package.
 25. A method of usefor a dough, comprising, a. preparing a scoopable dough comprising: (i)flour, the flour being present in an amount effective for providingstructure to the dough; (ii) a protein supplement, the proteinsupplement being present in an amount effective for providing structureto the dough; (iii) a shortening, the shortening body being present inan amount effective for providing desirable physical texture to thedough; (iv) a humectant, the humectant being present in an amounteffective for providing an A_(w) of less than about 0.97; (v) aleavening system comprising a leavening agent and a complementaryleavening agent, the leavening system having between about 10 weightpercent and about 100 weight percent of the leavening agent, thecomplementary leavening agent, or a mixture thereof encapsulated, andthe leavening system being present in an amount effective for leaveninga baked product prepared from the dough; and (vi) water, the water beingpresent in an amount effective for providing a flour-to-water ratio in arange of between about 2:1 and about 1:1; b. forming the dough intoshaped and sized portions; c. freezing the shaped and sized portions toform frozen shaped dough pieces; d. thawing at least one frozen doughpiece for at refrigeration temperatures; e. placing at least one thaweddough piece in an oven; and, f. baking the thawed dough pieces to form aleavened baked good having a BSV of at least about 2.0 cc/g.
 26. Themethod of claim 25, wherein the dough is shelf stable after storagewithout storage under a vacuum for between about 2 months and about 9months at freezing temperatures and shelf stable after thawing withoutstorage under a vacuum for between about 1 day and about 7 days atrefrigeration temperatures.
 27. The method of claim 25, wherein thedough exhibits a dough consistency of between about 300 Brabender Units.and about 1,200 Brabender Units within 10 minutes of forming the dough.28. The method of claim 25, wherein the dough exhibits a doughconsistency of between about 600 Brabender Units and 1,200 BrabenderUnits within 10 minutes of forming the dough.
 29. The method of claim25, wherein the dough exhibits a torque profile of about 0.3 N·cm togreater than about 3 N·cm within 10 minutes of mixing the dough.
 30. Themethod of claim 25, wherein the dough is storage stable at ambientpressure.
 31. The method of claim 25, wherein the dough comprises ablend of soft wheat flour and hard wheat flour in a ratio of soft wheatflour to hard wheat flour of between about 2.2:1 and about 4:1.
 32. Themethod of claim 25, wherein the dough comprises a flour with lowpolyphenol oxidase activity.
 33. The method of claim 25, wherein thedough comprises a flour enrichment having reduced iron.
 34. The methodof claim 25, wherein the dough comprises a flour in an amount of betweenabout 30 weight percent and about 51 weight percent.
 35. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the dough comprises a protein supplement in an amountbetween about 0.5 weight percent and about 4 weight percent.
 36. Themethod of claim 35, wherein the protein supplement comprises albumin,caseinate, wheat protein, or mixtures thereof.
 37. The method of claim25, wherein the dough comprises a shortening in an amount of betweenabout 5 weight percent and about 28 weight percent.
 38. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the dough comprises a humectant in an amount effectivefor providing an Aw of less than about 0.95.
 39. The method of claim 38,wherein the humectant comprises glycerin, propylene glycol, corn-syrupsolids, sucrose, or mixtures thereof.
 40. The method of claim 25,wherein the dough comprises a leavening system comprising baking soda, acomplementary leavening agent, and encapsulated baking soda.
 41. Themethod of claim 25, wherein 100 weight percent of the leavening systemis encapsulated.
 42. The method of claim 25, further comprising citricacid in an amount effective to provide the scoopable dough with a pHbetween about 7.25 and about 8.25.
 43. The method of claim 25, whereinthe dough further comprises a particulates.
 44. The method of claim 43,wherein the particulates comprises cranberry, chocolate, strawberry,raspberry, apricot, blueberry, cheese bits, or mixtures thereof.
 45. Themethod of claim 25, wherein the die hole of step B is the shape of acircle with a diameter of between about 1 inch and about 6 inches. 46.The method of claim 25, wherein the die hole of step B is in the shapeof a triangle, square, star, rectangle, and oval.
 47. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the individual single-serve size shapes are packagedin quantities of at least 150 individual single-serve units per package.